Courageous Women of Faith Profile: Julie Lonneman

By now most parishioners and friends of the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola have learned that three courageous women will be honored with banners that will hang in the church and Wallace Hall. What may not be known is who created the banners and why the artist was chosen.

The creator is Julie Lonneman, an artist and freelance illustrator, whose work has appeared in books and magazines worldwide. Among her many commissions have been portraits and artwork for the University of Notre Dame, Liturgical Press, the Lutheran Study Bible, and the monthly ecumenical worship resource Celebration. Much of her work can be viewed on the internet.

The Courageous Women committee members were impressed by Julie’s skill as an artist and her themes of spirituality and social justice. The committee was confident that she would create banners that would be both beautiful and inspiring. And we weren’t disappointed!

Julie believes that her artwork has been enriched by her membership in New Jerusalem, a Catholic international lay community founded in the 1970s by Richard Rohr, OFM. She has stated, “With deep humility, I recognize that human and divine come together when I make art. Through what my brain, my eyes, and my hands create, I sense there is more. My best work happens when I can relax a bit, let go and let God.”

The committee is proud to have such a talented and spiritual artist use her talents to create the banners of the three courageous women that will grace our worship spaces and serve as an inspiration to us all.

– Marie Viola